Scarred Past
by WhatifStoryTeller
Summary: With blood spattered on her hands, Luka adventures into unknown land. Her crew stays close, but Zoro always there for her. Established ZoLu Fem!Luffy
1. Chapter 1

It was a fine day on the Sunny. The crew members were resting along the deck. Everyone was busied with their own thing. Zoro was in his training room. Sweat dripped down his abs as he trained with his heaviest weights. He grunted each time he lifted the weight above his head. Luka sat across the room. Her eyes were watching Zoro's every movement. She even tried mincing his actions; but she kept tangling herself up.

She tried training with his other weights. The ones she picked up were the lightest; but not to the average human- Usopp. Luka had no problem lifting the weight. It was actually quite easy. She tried this for awhile, but within minutes, she grew bored of it. The weight fell to the ground, and Zoro looked at her with a questioning expression. She fell to the ground and sighed, "I'm bored..."

"Go play with Usopp, or Chopper," he suggested. He, once again, started lifting his weights once more.

Luka stood up and walked over to him. She grabbed his weight; stopping him from training. "But I want you to play with me!" she pouted.

"Can't. I'm training," he said. In order to get stronger, he had to train; even if that meant saying no to Luka. "I will watch you, from here, okay?"

"Nope. I want Zoro to play with!" she moaned. She leaned on his side and let go of the weight. Zoro wasn't quite ready for that as the weight dropped down onto his arm. Luka covered her mouth before she could laugh. But once Zoro grunted, she couldn't help it, and she started rolling on the ground; holding onto her stomach.

After laughing, she sat up with a huge grin. "Now you can play with me~!" Luka cheered. She stood up, and looked at the green-haired.

His face was serious as ever as he removed the weight and placed it back with the others. He should have known it was bad idea training with Luka in the room. He wiped the sweat rolling down his skin, and dressed himself in his plain white shirt. It covered up his numerous scars across his chest. He took a light slug of water to cool down his body. Luka pulled on his arms, dragging him wards the door that led to the deck.

She climbed on the ladder, and placed her feet on the deck. The sun shined on her strawhat and she smiled. "Yo! Usopp! Chopper! We're playing hide 'n seek!" Usopp yelped from his workplace. He placed his tools on the desk, and jumped the rail leading to the deck. The infirmary door opened, and Chopper came running out. His small hoofs clattered across the wooden planks when he tripped over a loose nail. Usopp bent over and laughed, as did Luka. Usopp, slowly, walked over and helped Chopper back on his feet.

Zoro yawned; he was hoping this would happen quickly and be done with it. Afterwards he could take a nap, if Luka allows.

"Zoro say he would be it!" Luka grinned; pulling Zoro forward. Zoro glanced back at her for that statement with furrowed brows. Usopp gulped at the thought of Zoro's means of finding them. He could just imagine Zoro's swords cutting boxes, popes, just to find them. Chopper reached his arms out and squealed. It was nice having someone 'it' since they usually just run around chasing each other.

"Count to 30!" exclaimed Chopper. Zoro just nodded.

He turned around, and faced the wall. Within those few seconds, he cursed ever getting into this. He could never go against Luka; no matter what. It's been like that the first day they met. And now he was cursed for life; not that he dislikes it _that much_.

He started counting down the numbers. Within seconds, he was already to zero. He itch his head; he could have sworn there were words you was suppose to announce. _'Oh well,'_ he though; shrugging it off. He walked around the deck; no matter how many right's he made, he always gotten back to the base.

"Mr. Swordsman, maybe you should try a different route?" suggested Robin from the upper deck. She took a slip of her tea and laid it on the table. Her legs were crossed as her eyes stared at Zoro; who grunted and took her advice. The sides of her lips rose and she giggled at the Swordsman.

He opened the door, and tried the inside of the boat. He walked pass numerous rooms before finally opening one that led to the kitchen. Sanji was cooking. He was singing a sweet melody till he noticed Zoro was inside of the room. He chopped the vegetables with a sharp cut, and his movements fasten. "What you want, Mosshead?"

"Nothing, Curly-Brow," he answered back. After moments of looking under the table, and closet; Zoro stared at Sanji. "Where's Luka?"

"She's not in here," Sanji answered calmly.

"It's Luka, she's always in here."

"Not when she's with you..." the blond muttered. With a swift movement, he chopped the lettuce picturing someone's face.

Zoro's face turned red, and soon he was right against Sanji's face. "What's that suppose to mean, Curly-Brow?"

"Just like I said, Marimo," thundered Sanji. He raised his brows and glared that the green-haired.

Zoro's temper rose till he heard snickering coming somewhere in the kitchen. He looked from its source to Sanji; a smirk planted on his face. He followed the light snickers to its source; the storage. Zoro sighed and opened the door. Luka fell onto the ground. She was standing right against the door; since she heard Zoro coming in. Food crumbs circled around her mouth, and Sanji rolled his eyes. She was only in there for minutes, yet she already gotten into the food.

"There, I played. Now I'm going to take a nap," Zoro yawned. He stretched his sniff muscles.

Sanji slashed the potatoes apart, and glared at Zoro through the window; if only glares could kill. "Treating a lady like that..." he mumbled to himself.

"Yeah," Luka yawned, "I'm tired too." She leaned onto Zoro's muscular arms; following him out onto the deck.

Usopp and Chopper waited inside of the cabinet, they felt forgotten. Sanji knocked on the door, telling it was time to come out after the two left.

Zoro choose the closest wall, and leaned his back on it. It might have been uncomfortable, but he was used to it. He laid his arms behind his head, and nodded off to sleep. Luka sat next to him. Her arms wrapped around his waist. She rested her head on his chest, using it as a pillow, and fell to sleep. She laid her strawhat next to her. A white neckband wrapped around as its ribbon; red beads above it. Luka loved that hat, so she kept it close.

The crew members glanced their way; some giggled; Sanji glared. Franky and Brook cheered for them from afar; on the upper deck. Usopp stuck his tongue out at Zoro; the only time he could do something without being attacked. "Left us hiding while you were napping," he mumbled as he walked away.

Once the sun started disappearing, Robin covered them up with a blanket. She chuckled as she walked away from the two love birds. Everyone was asleep by the time the moon came out. Everyone except Brook. He was playing his music in the Bird Nest.

Nobody saw Luka.

She was wriggling around on the deck; she moved away from Zoro when the dreams started happening.

Her limbs thrashed against the wood planks.

Her teeth grind as her head shook.

Horror images crossed her mind and she couldn't shake it off.

Her breathing became harder and heavier.

Her figure began to sweat.

Finally, her eyes opened and she bolted right up. She looked at her hands. _Red._

She saw blood.

Fresh blood.

"No...No..." she mumbled. Tears swelled up in her eyes. She shook her head and held her hat close. The images were still there. "No...Sabo..."

Her feet wobbled across the deck as she moved inside to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror; the image displayed back to her, wasn't something she was expecting. Everything seemed normal, but not until you looked closely. Her eyes were red from tears. Dark circles formed under her eyes. Eye crust at the edges of her eyes. Her hair was tangled and unruly. Her fingernails were bitten, uneven; blood formed at the edges.

Blood.

It was all over her hands.

She turned the sink on, and scrubbed the blood off. But it wouldn't come off. She scrubbed it harder and harder; but it stayed.


	2. Chapter 2

Soon there was a knock at the door, and Luka quickly turned the sink off. "Yeah?" she questioned. She could have sworn there wasn't anyone else awake in the ship; maybe she woke one of them up.

"Luka-san?" questioned Brook from the other side of the door. "Something wrong?"

"Ah...N-Nothing!" she answered. She took a breath and calmed herself; not looking in the mirror again. The sight in the mirror was too real for her. She opened the door, and there stood Brook.

He smiled down at her. "Are you not tired?"

"Yes," she answered. She didn't think she could go back to sleep again that night. She stopped herself from yawning.

"Mind in you join me for some tea?" he offered. She accepted. She rather be with someone than alone.

Soon the two of them were inside of the Bird Nest. Brook sat in a chair opposite from hers. He moved the cups around, and poured fresh tea in her cup. He lifted the cup of tea to his teeth. "Luka-san, if something bothering you, I'm all ears. Well, I don't have ears! Skull joke! Yohohoho!" he joked to lighten the mood.

"It's nothing, Brook. I just had a bad dream." She shrugged her shoulders to stop Brook from asking more.

He opened his mouth as if to ask, but then closed it. Finally, he took a slip of his tea; and rested it back on the table. "Will you be up all night?"

"Yeah," she plainly answered. A yawn tugged at the corners of her mouth.

He grinned, "I have this new song; you want to hear?"

She nodded her head with a joyous smile as if the dream never happened. All thoughts of that vanished from her mind as she listened to Brook's song. Her eyes began to closed, and Brook smiled. He chose the perfect song to put her to sleep. He lifted her up, and laid her in a nearby couch with a cover.

"Goodnight Luka-san. Sorry for tricking you." He noticed the dark circled under her eyes; and used music to bring her to sleep. He walked back to the table, and softly played his guitar. He played a song that kept nightmares away; it was something to comfort his captain.

...

In the morning, Luka awoke with the smells of food. She sat up in the couch, and wondered where she was. It took her a couple moments to regain focus; and she noticed she was in the Bird Nest. "Good morning, Luka-san~!" greeted Brook from the window. He was looking down at the sea, at the crew. "Sanji just started cooking."

Luka didn't even wait. She stood up and dashed down to the kitchen. She only had food on her mind. Sanji was at the sink washing some fruits. He took noticed of Luka, and greeted her with a smile. "Good morning Luka-sama~! Food will be ready soon."

"I'm hungry now..." she pouted. She sat in her normal seat and laid her head on the table. She was still tired even if she slept seven hours. She just hoped that no one would notice her color changed. It would worried her crew; and make her answered some questions. She didn't want either.

"Here, snack on this." Sanji carried a whole plate to her place at the table. Luka's eyes widen, and drool dripped from her mouth. She didn't wait, and started digging in; no fork needed. She used her hands and ate the food on her plate.

The door opened, and Zoro walked in. He eyed Luka with a strange look behind he took his place next to her seat. He opened his mouth to ask where she was, but he closed it as the cook walked to the table. "Breakfast isn't done, Bastard. Leave before I kick ya out!" he threatens.

Zoro smirked, and leaned back in his chair; placing his feet on the table. "You and what army? The Dumbass Army?" he teased the blond.

Luka slammed her hands on the table as the two were head against head. "Sanji, food's done."

"Huh?" questioned Sanji. He turned around, and indeed, the food was ready. He hopped over the counter and lifted the freshly cooked food from the stove. "Nami-swan~! Robin-chauw~! Your food is ready~!" he cooed from his window. His tone changed as he called the boys down to breakfast.

Franky swiped the door opened, "SUPERRR MORNING EVERYBODY! Today, I'm feeling GREAT!" His giant feet thundered across the ground.

Brook came after him. He walked in with such grace, and took a seat on the other side of Luka. His fingers hummed on the table as Sanji hurried to get the food on the table. Chopper hurried in, and sat in his sat. He stretched his limbs and started eating the food on his plate.

Nami yawned, and pulled a seat by Franky's. She laid her head down on the table. "Coffee..." she moaned.

"Coming up~!" cheered Sanji from behind the counter. He lifted the pot from the stove, and poured hot liquid into four cups. He laid one in front of Nami, Robin, and then Brook; and he slipped some from his own cup.

"Thank you, Cook-san," gestured Robin as she took her place next to Nami. She picked up her cup, and took a slip.

Usopp lay on the doorway and moaned. Luka was already scooping up most of the food; leaving little left for the rest of them.

After all of them ate, mostly Luka, they left the kitchen. Luka sat on the figure head and looked out into the depths of the ocean; behind her was snoring. Zoro fell asleep, resting along the rails.

Luka gave a small grin, but it quickly vanished. She looked at her hands. Hours ago, they were painted red, and now there was nothing to show of it. Her hands were the same color as they always been; maybe a bit paler, but that's it. She looked at the ocean, and remembers a faint memory. A happy memory.

It was a small memory, but it was something joyous. Her. Ace. Sabo. All three of them were sitting around a camp fire. Ace was roosting marshmallows, while Luka was eating them. Sabo said something, but it faded from all of those years. All she could remember were all three of them laughing. Then, they head Dadan yelling, so they ran off into the distance.

Luka bent over, and looked at her hat. "Ace...Sabo..." she mumbled.

"Huh?" Zoro sat up. He turned, and looked at her humbled figure, "Did you say something?"

"It's nothing, Zoro," she yelped. She didn't even noticed she say it out loud.


	3. Chapter 3

Zoro yawned and leaned his head back on the railing. His eyelids closed half way; he was watching Luka. It was unlike her to be this way. He shrugged; tonight he will ask her about it, but that's after he finished his nap. "Hey, Zoro," she called.

He lifted up his head. "Yeah, what is it?"

Luka pointed to the sky. "It's about dinner time."

"Is that all that's ever in your head?" he asked her.

"Yep!" she answered plainly as if that was the most stupid question ever. "I wonder if Sanji has it ready yet..."

"Stupid Dartboard..." he muttered under his breath.

"Hopefully there would be lots of meat!"

Zoro smirked. She should know by now that's all Sanji ever cooks; for his 'Luka-sama~!' He chuckled, "And sake!"

Luka smiled; all earlier thoughts of that nightmare hurried into a corner of her mind. Now, she was smiling a real smile.

"Luka! Come look at this!" Usopp called over from his desk. He was hunched over his tools and blueprints. In his hands was an unusual object that was turning and moving.

Luka stretched up, and wiped her face in case anything was left on it. "What is that?" she asked once she jumped over there. He yelped from her sudden appearance. The object in his hand turned in circles. One end of it was lightening, and it burnt down to the end; Usopp almost dropped it.

"I call this, Sparkler~!"

"What about Sparkly Sparkly Boom Stick?" she suggested.

"My invention, my name," he stuck at his tongue at her; and crossed his arms as if to express he was done with discussing the name. Luka was more intent at the burning object than anything else. It reminded her of something, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She itch her head.

"Nami-swan~!" Luka heard behind her. "How far from the nearest island?"

"Two days, why?" Nami asked the blond. She flipped a page in her newspaper without looking at Sanji. Thoughts popped up in Luka's mind. She couldn't wait to get to an island. All of the adventure she could have. All of the trouble she will cause.

There was a slight paused before an answer, "We are running low on supplies."

"Have them go fishing."

Usopp, who also overheard the conversation, said, "I will go get the bait." He grabbed his 'Sparkler' and went into the ship. Within minutes, he opened the door, and over his shoulder were three fishing poles. The longest was his. The thickest was Luka's. And, of course, the smallest was Chopper's. "Yo! Chopper! Come here!"

Chopper's head peaked out of the infirmary. His body hidden, as he was still messing with his medical items. "Yes?"

"Let's fish!" Luka told him.

Chopper smiled, and closed the door behind coming out. "I'm going to catch the biggest!" he declared with his hand held high.

"Haven't I told you, I catch a record breaker at my home island. It was over 800 feet! Feed the entire island for months!" Usopp lied. Both Luka and Chopper believed him. He walked over to their normal fishing place; next to Zoro since Luka has a record of falling in the sea.

"For months? Now I'm hungry..." she muttered.

"With you around, it wouldn't last a day," Usopp joked.

Chopper sat on the railing. His feet over the edge. Luka and Usopp did the same thing. Usopp passed the fishing lines down, and started baiting his own rod. He leaned his face it to the worm he just hooked, "You better bring back some big ones." The worm spiraled its tiny head; not listening to Usopp.

Luka eyed her worm. Her stomach grumbled. Oh, how much she wanted something to eat. And it was so close. "Luka! No!" Chopper yelped at her as she closed in on her worm. "You are not a fish!"

"Oh..." she frowned, but her smile soon returned. She cast the line out into the sea, and it plunged into the water.

"Eh...you have to get it farther out," Usopp told her. She looked down at her line, and pulled it out. She, once more, caste her line in. This time the line was a bit farther out. Usopp cast his line out into the water. It was farther than any of their'; even Chopper couldn't managed that much range. His was in the middle of Luka's and Usopp's line.

They fished for an hour, but nothing came. Their lines were always empty. Even the worm left them. "No luck..." muttered Usopp. He eyed Luka from the side. She was being nosy as possible as they were fishing. It was like she went into the kitchen and smacks the pans together.

Chopper looked into the bait cup. There weren't anything left inside of them. He moaned, and put the laid back on top. "No more bait..." he reported. They won't be able to fish till they gotten to the next island.

Luka yawned. She leaned back, far enough, and fell to the ground. Her eyes closed; threatening to not open again till she got her sleep.

"Luka...?" questioned Chopper as he jumped from the rail. Luka's figure started snoring.

"Come on," Usopp pointed at Luka, "Let's move her out of the way." Chopper changed formed, and move her closer to Zoro. Once that was done, he changed back to his normal cute form. They moved away from the couple, and walked to the kitchen to report their findings of fish; none. "She must be tired from the lack of food," suggested Usopp.

Chopper nibbled his claws. "I hope so..." He thought he saw dark circles under her eyes, but he was paying attention. If that was so, this has been an ongoing thing. Not just missing one night of sleep, but she was often missing sleep. He just hoped that wasn't the case.

"Yo, Sanji!" Usopp knocked at the door. He waited for an answer, since he would be beaten up if when he just walked in while Sanji was cooking.

There wasn't an answer. "Sanji! It's me, Usopp! Hello!"

"Oh, it's you, come in." They heard him from the other side of the door. Usopp opened the door, and got ready to tell Sanji about they couldn't catch anything, and there's no more bait.


	4. Chapter 4

Chopper leaned on the edge of the door. His mind was too troubled to focus on what was going on in front of him. Usopp tapped his shoulder, making the reindeer jump. "WHAT?!" he squealed.

"You tell him," Usopp whispered.

The reindeer shook its tiny head.

"Come on, I don't want to be beaten up."

Sanji took a couple steps forward. "If you don't say what it is, I'm going to beat you anyways."

Both of them gulped, and started finishing each other sentences. "We were fishing..."

"...and we couldn't catch anything."

"We lost all..."

"...of our bait."

Sanji flicked his cigarette. "Chopper," he called. Chopper stood up on his toes. "You are going to be the bait."

"WHAT?!" screamed Chopper. He ran outside of the kitchen. "MURDERER!" he yelled.

"Nice going," sighed Usopp. He stood in the kitchen till Sanji threw a knife right above his head. He screamed and run out the kitchen. "PSYCHO!"

Both of them were running all over the ship; making noise wherever they went. Nami lifted her head, and questioned why they were screaming Murderer, but she didn't get an answer since they ran pass her. They ran before tripping over a wood plank, and falling into the sleeping couple by the rails.

Bodies' parts were jumbled around. Usopp smiled and Zoro threw everyone off of him and Luka. Luka sat up and moaned. She held her head; which Chopper hit when he was free falling. She looked at the two of them; which they were gulping at the green angry force they unleashed; Zoro. He stood up, and glared at the two who wake him up. "What was that for?" he asked in a deadly tone.

Usopp itch his neck. Chopper bend over, "We didn't mean to! We were running away from Sanji!"

"You were playing tag without me?" pouted the black-haired. Her lips peaked out, and she leaned her head to the side.

"He was trying to kill me!" gulped Chopper. He held onto his body. He wasn't bait!

"He finally went crazy," smirked Zoro.

Luka put a finger to her shin, "I wonder if that makes meat taste bad."

"He THREW a KNIFE at ME!" Usopp shouted with his arms in the air. "Almost cut my head off!"

"Bait! He was going to use me as BAIT!" squealed Chopper.

"You wouldn't be bad as bait," Luka stated as a passing thought.

Zoro smirked at Luka's statement. Chopper gulped and his eyes enlarged at Luka. "Crazy!"

The black-haired girl stretched her head back, and her figure starting shaking. Bellows of laughter came next. Zoro yawned, and stretched his arms behind Luka's shoulder. Usopp and Chopper just looked at each other, then back at the others. They gulped, and slowly walked away from them.

"Finally!" sighed Nami. She was so close to blowing up at the crew, but now the noise was gone. She rested back in her chair, and tilted her shades. She relaxed her body and took a slip from her drink.

Zoro abruptly got up without warning. He started walking off into the direction of the training room, but once he didn't heard footsteps following him, he turned around and stared at Luka. He waited as she lifted herself from the ground and yawned.

A smile pulled at the sides of her cheeks, and she stared at Zoro's back as he turned around and started walking to the training room. She held her breath, and took steps forward; increasing her pace with each one till she was running. She lunged forward and targeted Zoro's back.

"What-?!" yelped Zoro. He was forced forward from the surprising attack from Luka. He stepped forward behind he fell flat on the ground. He calmed his nerves, and slowly returned to his normal pace with Luka on his back.

Her legs jiggled down in front of his legs. Her face cushioned itself between his neck and shoulder. Her famous grin planted on her face. "Onward horsey!" she pointed forward

He grinned back at her, "Call me that one more time, and you ain't getting nowhere."

Her grin disappeared into a small pout. She slacked her lips, and her smile returned. "Onward Marimo!" She kept her finger forward; aimed right at the door.

Sanji's voice echoed in Zoro's mind. No matter what, Luka calling him that was way better than Sanji calling him that.

They gotten to the door, and Zoro opened it. "Ride's over." Luka slowly gotten up from his back, and stood behind him as he climbed into his training room. He gotten in there and everything was in the same place as last night. Nothing changed; just like how he liked it. Except...there was an odd object laid on the counter that he didn't leave there.

Luka piled behind him, "Move it, Zoro."

He took a quick glance behind him, before moving out of the way. "Luka, did you leave that in here?" He pointed over to the corner.

She turned and looked at the counter. Her eyes budged and she grabbed her hat; quickly jumping forward to the table. She picked up the red beads, and held them to her face. She stared at the single beads that jingled in her hands. "How did these get here?" she wondered out loud.

Zoro stretched by his weights. "Were you sleep walking?"

She shook her head and looked at the necklace. She turned it over, and gazed at the two faces in the front. A smile. A frown.

_'Ace...'_ she thought as she griped the string. She smooths it over her head, and wore it as a necklace.

The green-haired watch her with her hat and these 'add-ons'. "Is something wrong?"

She glanced his way quickly and placed her hat back on her head. "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just hungry."

Zoro didn't seem pleased with that response, but he let it go...for now. He picked up the nearest weight and threw it at her; she barely caught it. If she waited one more second, it would have slammed into the wall. "Your timing is off."

She snuffled a yawn, and tried to look remotely interested in the weight. He closed his eyes and took a breath before lifting his weight; which was at least 30 times larger than Luka's. But, Luka could even pick the weight up; she just chooses the lightest to give her something to do with her arms.

He couldn't help the bugging feeling in his stomach.

Luka's timing was never off.

That deeply concerned him.


	5. Chapter 5

Under the watchful eye of Zoro, Luka trained. She wasn't even breaking a sweat at her mild exercises. On the other hand, Zoro sweated like a pig. His white shirt he had on before was soaked with sweat; right now he was shirtless. His muscles tensed as he lifted the weight with one arm, over his head. He waited for a second, and brought the weight back down. He kept doing this over and over.

Kind of like Zoro, Luka was watching Zoro's every movement. It was the only thing within the room to keep her focus on. She tried the same movements as him, but, like always, failing. Unlike other times, she was slower and clumsier than before. Her weights would cling together. She would step on her own feet. Her hair would unbalance her. She was being a total klutz today.

"Luka, leave," Zoro ordered after the twentieth time she fell on top of him. Her limbs were tingled behind his arms and chest.

She looked at him and pouted. "Sorry," she said, hoping that would change his mind.

He didn't response, so she took this as a sigh to leave the room. She sighed and climbed out of the room. Outside, the sunlight greeted her. Her tired eyes strained against the sunlight; blocking it with her hand. Everyone on the ship was busied with tasks. "I'm bored..." she sighed.

She looked at Franky's lair, hoping to catch a glimpse of something fun and exciting; there was nothing but smoke. In the Bird Nest, she could see Brook slipping on some tea. Robin was sitting near the infirmary with a book in her hand. She lifted her face from the book, and a mouth appeared behind Luka. "Something wrong, Captain-san?"

Luka yawned. "There's nothing to do," she uttered.

A quick giggled came out of the mouth. "Why don't you play with Doctor-san? Long-nose-kun?" she suggested. She pointed to the infirmary door.

"They are busy."

"Why don't you take a nap, instead? Or relax your body with a bath?"

Luka thought about this. She hasn't had a bath in...Who counts?! Well, she stunk anyways. And she rather not face her nightmares again. The choice seemed pretty oblivious. "If you need someone to scrub your back, I will always lend you a hand," Robin called as Luka turned her body and left.

She went inside of the ship, heading wards the bathroom. She passed the kitchen; which smelled of cooking and she heard Nami's voice from the inside. Soon she was in front of the bathroom. She turned the doorknob, and walked inside of the room; the same room she entered the night before. Unlike the other time, it wasn't dark or creepy; it felt warm and calm. Everything felt different in the day time.

She undressed her clothing, and threw them on the floor. Her legs drum against the tub as she entered. The water sprayed down onto her body. It was relaxing her body. Her mind cleared, and she could think. A feeling she hasn't felt since this morning.

Her mind drifted from one thought to the next. She leaned into the water and throbbed her hair; thinking about the dream last night. Her stomach lurked. She soon thought about something else, Zoro. Their first meeting. Their first kiss. The time they spent together on the ship. The times he saved her, or vice versa. The times in which she caused him to get into trouble.

He has always been there for her; yet she couldn't say anything about her past; not to him, or to anyone in her crew.

It wasn't the memory, within shocked her, it's from how sudden it came about. She always had to deal with the memory; but it only happens once in every once in awhile; but not three times in the same week. Three times it has happened. This was why her circles under her eyes were becoming more and more apparent. Not even the sleep from last night could vanish the dark circles on her face.

Sooner or later, someone would notice these marks; and her red swollen eyes weren't helping. She could only keep it up for so long.

"No one must know..." she whispered in the steamy tub. She circled the fog on the wall; as if making a contact. She couldn't let others known of her past; they would worried and try to carry her burden...but it was hers, and only hers.

Not even Zoro could help her uncover the scars of her past.

Not something so deep within her heart.

She closed her eyes, and the image appeared; tattooed underneath her eyelids. She gasped, and shook her head. She showered her head under water, and lifted it quickly; spraying the walls behind her.

It was too late.

She knew that.

It couldn't be changed.

Already done.

She sighed, and turned off the water. This wasn't a bit relaxing at all. Instead it was hurting her brain from all of this thinking. She just needed some peace and quiet on this sea...but that was after she found One Piece. Once she achieved the unlimited freedom, she could spend her days worried-free; and maybe, just maybe, the memories wouldn't hunt her brain every setting.

"Luka-sis! Sanji-bro has been hollering for you!" called Franky from the other side of the door.

She kindly smiled. Just like last night, someone must come to knock her out of these horrible thoughts. Robin may be the next one at that door; Luka gently chuckled at her own inner joke. "Coming!" she called without the same joy she always carried. She wiped her face, and gave her mirror self a smile. She pulled on her jean shorts, and buttoned her shirt over her bumps.

Usually she would just walk right out there without clothes once Sanji called for dinner; but tonight just weren't that night. Plus...she didn't want Sanji losing anymore blood. And Nami might have given her tripled bumps on her head more than once.

...

Luka ate with the crew. She smiled at how the crew was making rapture without her help. Franky was dancing at the end of the table with Brook playing him 'beats'. Nami growled under her breath and slowly ate her meal; once in a while she would remind the crew that it was dinner and not a party...which caused the crew to cheered and claim that there shall be a party tonight.

Reason being...Pirates always have parties.

"Yay!" cheered Usopp; hitting his glass against Franky's.

"My, my, has been awhile since there been one," excited Brook as he pulled out his guitar.

Chopper stood up on the table, knocking dishes along the wall, and cheered with the others.

Sanji grinned at them, "Guess I better go get some sake." He turned and left the kitchen.

She smiled at them, but she wasn't feeling like smiling. She felt like slamming her head into the wall numerous times without anyone stopping her. There was even food left on her plate.

At least no one was noticing. Until she turned her head and seen Robin lifting her eyes away from her cup onto Luka. Robin gave a concerned smile; not questioning at all what was going on.

Luka's eye twitched, and she made a show of eating the last bite on her plate; but she just wanted to throw it up. Her stomach lurked at the thought of having any food. She stopped her fork in midair, and dropped it on the plate.

It didn't stall the party. Other than Robin, no one looked her way.


	6. Chapter 6

The black-haired teen watched her friends having the time of their lives. She smiled at their funny faced, but on the inside she was hurting. On the surface she didn't show it, and no one questioned it. She felt like she was watching from a different universe; separated from the others.

She felt lonely.

Out of place.

Missing.

She sighed and rested her arm on the table. These feelings she has been kept hidden since that fateful day. Every day it was becoming harder and harder to keep them locked inside. She remembered how it was after those events. She was left with nothing. No place to go or to call home. No one to talk to. It was until she came upon a ship in the middle of the ocean that forced her back into reality. She had to continued on with her life, but the burdens still weighted heavenly on her heart.

Coby...

His impossible dream of being a Marine made her remember her own dream. Pirate King. Her promise she made to her brothers; a promise she would not break. And thus was caused her to create a crew.

"Luka. You're drooling," uttered Zoro as he stared into her eyes. She lifted her gazed from the dancing fools on the table and looked at the green-haired. He was sitting in his usual seat next to her and Franky's. His food was consumed and his drink was filled.

Usopp's singing voice reached her ears, "-coming 'round the mountain when she comes~" Chopper copied his lines.

She slurred the drool, and wiped away the remains. Zoro still stared at her with a raised eyebrow. He raised the drink to his lip and emptied his cup of sake. "Why aren't you joining the party?"

Franky raised his cup and cheered with Robin; who only bothered to join since Franky wouldn't stop bugging her. She leaned back in her seat and took a slip of her tea.

Luka paused before answering. "Chopper has fleas."

"Wh-?! No I don't!" yelped Chopper. His eyes widen, and his fur became itchy. "Ah! I HAVE FLEAS! I HAVE FLEAS!" He scratched his fur and whirled around the table. His tail sways to one side to the other. Tears of fear fell down his face. He knocked down Usopp's drink into his lap in his path; the ice slipped into his overalls.

"ICE! COLD!" he screamed. He quickly stood up in his chair knocking it down onto the ground. Goosebumps formed on his arms, shivering him. Franky laughed at him; even Luka couldn't stay silent, she was balling with laughter. Her chair fell to the ground, and she was still laughing. She held her sides, and Zoro just smiled at her. She was finally back to her old self.

Chopper finally stopped running once he ran into a blockage of Robin's hands. She held him there. "Doctor-san, you do not have any fleas. Wouldn't you have known earlier if you did?"

The reindeer looked at her with huge eyes. "I don't...?" he stated more of a question. He felt his fur, and it wasn't itchy anymore. "I don't!" he exclaimed with a huge smile.

"The ice has melted by now..." pointed out Nami. She held her lips together and tried not to look at the spot on Usopp's overalls. He looked down, and exclaimed. They melted right over his crotch...leaving a huge spot.

Usopp grabbed a cloth from Sanji's counter and held it over the spot. He slowly creep out of the room; leaving behind a room full of laughter. He sweat dropped at his friends from behind the door. "YOU KNOW I CAN HEAR YOU!" They continued to roar even harder than before.

"SUPERRR!" Franky knocked his fists on the table; clattering everything on the table. He leaned back with sweat on his face from so many laughs. He took a deep breath and hollered. His voice echoed across the room.

The skeleton clapped his boney hands wildly around in the air. Nami even couldn't help but laugh; she sat her drink down on the table and giggled.

...

The party ended when people started leaving for bed. Luka was one of the last ones out of the kitchen. She leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. Above her was a thousand stars, and she gazed at them. They were so beautiful and colorful. They lit up the night sky. They were like a color pallet.

And...

So far away.

She reached out her hand wards the sky; hoping to gasp the colorful balls of light. "Ace..."

"Who's that?" a voice questioned behind her. She turned her head and smiled at the green-haired. He walked into the light, and sat next to her. "I heard you say that name twice now. Who's that?" His mind raced with possible answers. None came to mind. Ever since they met Luka, they heard nothing of her past...that wasn't related to a red-haired pirate named Shanks.

"Oh..." she looked at her fingers. Her lips twitched at what she should say. Numerous things entered her mind. Brother. Protector. Strong. Role Model. Shirtless. Friend. Victim. Dead. Even other things came to her mind about Ace. Finally she settled with something. "Someone I made a promise to..."

Zoro gripped his swords at his side. His face became blank as he patted her shoulders. He unsheathed his sword and laid it across his lap; something he never did without a challenger. "Kuina...that was her name." Luka's eyes became wide as she listened to Zoro. Her eyes glazed across the surface of the metal. "We also made a promise...become the greatest swordsman in the world. I will never surpass her as fate would have it. She...died a day later. I was given this sword by her father. I will become the Greatest Swordsman in the World with this in my hand."

Luka's mouth stood ajar. '_Just like Sabo and Ace_,' she thought. "She died...?"

"Fate damned her that day. She had fallen down the stairs and...died that morning." He paused and thought about his words. "At that time, I was angry with her and myself. I thought she ran out on our promise."

Her mouth closed and she began to watch the stars again. "Did you ever think it was your fault?"

Zoro looked at her. "Yes," he simply answered. "Many times."

"Oh..."

Zoro clasped his hands. "Luka, if you ever want to talk about it, we are here. We are your crew."

She knew. They surrounded themselves around her every day, doing the impossible. But...they could never help her with these scars.

"Come on, it's Franky's turn on watch tonight." He stood up and sheathed his sword. He reached his arm out and gently raised Luka up. They leaned on each other and walked slowly back to their room.

...

Sanji scrubbed the dishes from the party. He had a strange feeling...something was off. He applied soap into the water and cleaned the plates. He only just started, but he could swear something was different. He raised Luka's plates... "Only a couple?" he questioned as he held her plates. Usually he be overcame by her amount of dirty dishes. He looked down and seen a speck.

"Leftovers...?"


	7. Chapter 7

Zoro and Luka went to bed like everyone else who wasn't on watch. It was Franky's turn on watch tonight. Hours past and soon everyone was asleep. Their bodies turned and twisted in the night.

Only one body wouldn't stay still. The blankets were sweaty. Her mouth moaned and grunted from the dream she was having. Her hand reached and reached, but unable to grasp the object it wanted. Her brows came together and her pupils moved under her eyelid.

Luka was having that dream again. That same one that caused her skin to shiver.

_..._

_Fog mustered around the edges of her vision. She was in the middle of nowhere. The farther away she looked, nothing was there. The sky was clouded with darkness._

_She was alone. _

_Shivers went up her sprain and she cuddled herself. Her eyes raced for everything in the distance; her crew, the ship, or anyone. None. They were none. Everyone was gone from this mystery place. _

_Laughter._

_That's when she heard it. The wonderful sounds of laughter. They rumbled together, at least three people were laughing._

_Nostalgic. _

_Her stomach turned, but she still walked wards the sounds. Maybe it was her crew. Maybe it was someone. Away from this loneliness, she walked forward into the mist. Her feet disappeared with each and every step. When she turned behind, there was nothing. The place she was standing disappeared. _

_Her breath became faster as her pace fastens. She passed mist and mist, but never coming to the source of the sounds. She looked right and left, but still nothing has come. _

_"Zoro!" she called. No replied but the laughter. "Nami! Usopp! Is that you?! Chopper!" she hollered into the darkness. "This isn't funny!"_

_Silence, then the laughter replayed but louder than before. She ran wards it. Her pants became louder as did the laughter. _

_The mist changed into a forest, and she appeared at an opening. She moved the branches away and took a couple steps forward. _

_Firelight._

_Contrasted from the darkness, was light; coming from a simple fire. It sat in the middle of the clearing, with three figures surrounding it. The figures sat on the logs, and laughed at each other. Their giggles could be heard from where Luka was. _

_On the side was a grown boy. His shoulders hunched over the fire. His face was jolly, as it was missing a tooth, as he lifted his top hat backwards. His back was covered with a blue ripped coat._

_Next to him was another young man with black hair. This one was doubling over laughing. His chest flashed against the campfire. His beaded necklace swung from one side to the other. _

_She knew who these people were. The same ones she grew up with. The ones she always knew and loved. "Sabo...Ace..." Luka whispered as she stepped forward wards the campfire. Across from them was...a younger Luka. A wide grin pasted across her face. The farther down Luka looked at her dream self, the bloodier it got. _

_Her younger self had bloody hands... Stained red hair. Tattered pants. Bare feet. Dirty face._

_Luka's mouth dropped in horror as she raced forward and grabbed Ace and Sabo. Their faces turned ward her with blood running down their chins. They disappeared before she could touch their shoulders. _

_To her horror, everything faded. _

_Blackness..._

_Darkness..._

_A flash and the scene changed around her. _

_Fire._

_Everywhere. _

_Blood spattered all over the ground._

_She looked down...now she was her younger self from before. Her feet were bare as she ran and ran. Her pant tattered from branches in her path. _

_"ACE! SABO!" she screamed through the night. Sweat poured down her face. She came upon a cliff. One side was ocean and the other was the fire. Both meant death for her._

_Screams of pain filled the forest. She looked back, and at the water. There was nothing down there that would break her fall. _

_She gulped. "ACE! ANYONE!? SABO?!" she screamed once more. _

_A figure appeared in the forest's line. He broke through, and fell on the ground. He coughed; blood spurted out of his mouth. His coat was in ruins. He looked up at Luka. His eyes full of emotions that Luka could never figure out. She ran to him; to the fire. "Sabo!" she cried. _

_"Luk-a...leave...now..." he moaned. _

_Luka wouldn't listen. She stayed. She picked Sabo up, and away from the fire. It was the only thing she could do. Away from the fire. _

_"He's...coming for you..." he moaned again._

_She laid him on the ground. Her hands were covered in blood from his chest area. "Your chest..." she gasped. _

_Something had pierced through his chest. Right under his shoulder blade. "Leave..."_

_Luka ignored him, and turned looking for a way out. The trees were burning; all paths were blocked. Again, the ocean was the only escapable place. She walked wards the cliff and sighted again for anything that would save them. "Where's Ace?" _

_Sabo violently shook his head and lowered itself to the ground._

_A black figure appeared in the tree lines. Sabo gasped. Luka wasn't even paying attention. _

_The next thing Luka knew...she was falling. The last thing she saw...Sabo's bloody face. His blood dripped down onto her face..._

"SABO!" Luka yelled as she raised her head from the pillow. She looked around...this wasn't Windmill Island...she was on her ship. She looked down. Her hands were bloody.

Blood.

Sabo's blood.

She ran into the bathroom, and flooded the sink with water. She looked at herself in the mirror. Specs of blood lined on her cheekbone. She tried wiping it away with her hands, but instead she wiped more blood onto it.

"No..." she pleaded. She engulfed her head in the water, and tried washing the blood away. Her hands were still bloody red.

It was all in her head. It has always been in her head.

She washed and washed...and soon the water turned red... skin piled off of her hands and colored the water.

She would have kept at it but... the water finally stopped. She opened her eyes and stared at her beating red hands. She looked up in the mirror...the same image from yesterday; no blood.

...

Robin lifted a page of her book. "There's the island."

"Finally, we can get some supplies," sighed Nami as she leaned back in her chair.

The black-hair's brows knotted together. Her stomach turned. "It seems like something's going to happen today..."


	8. Chapter 8

The door opened to the bathroom, and the black-haired girl walked out. She slowly closed the door and took a breath before walking down the hallway. Her hands beat red, but she paid no mind. Her mind focused on one thing...the smell of food. She raced through the hallway, and shot herself through the wooden door. She slammed into Sanji, who was placing dishes on the table.

Clash.

The plate shattered onto the floor. "Sorry," she quickly says. The blond barley paid mind; his gazed was focus on lovely angel from heaven.

"Luka-sama~" he cooed; then he noticed the floor. "No worry, I got this, Mellorine~"

"Stupid Love Cook," insulted Zoro as he walked into the kitchen. "Why do I always have to watch her with you?"

Sanji looked up from the ground and growled at Zoro. "Stupid Marimo! How do you have so much luck being with this angel?!"

"Because unlike you, I can actually get them."

"You bastard!"

"Princess."

"Mosshead."

"Dartboard."

The door opened, and Nami screamed at the two of them. "Stop it! Come on now! Can't this wait till later?"

"Yeah, we are hungry you know," Chopper squealed behind her. His stomach grumbled as he hopped up into his seat.

"Yeah, yeah. It will be just one second," Sanji stated as he dumped the shattered glass into the trash can. He turned around and placed the other dishes on the table.

...

"We finally gotten to the island," Nami stated after they ate.

"Is it safe?" gulped Usopp.

"Looks pretty normal. We can get supplies from there."

"Who's going to stay on the ship?" questioned Sanji.

Behind Luka could say me, Zoro swiped out straws.

"This again?" questioned Brook. "Hopefully this time I get pick~!"

"Matter by fate," uttered Zoro. He held his hand out, all of the straws the same length; on the bottom of some of them were red. There were six colored. "Whoever picks red goes."

Each one of them grabbed a piece. Nami, Sanji, Robin, Luka, Zoro, Franky; all of them gotten red. Luka jumped in the air and held out the red piece of paper. "Yay!"

"Guess I could use this time to search my books," offered Chopper as he turned around with his white paper.

Usopp's smile disappeared and he thought. With Chopper out, then he has nothing to do. No bait for fishing. Guess he could always work in Franky's room.

Everyone scattered and chatted. They still had time before they were close enough to the island. Luka went her own way to Franky. She looked over one shoulder to the other, but he kept moving while he worked. "Luka-sis, can't you leave?" he moaned. He couldn't get any work down with her around.

She moaned and hopped out of the door. Her feet steps across the wooden planks. She couldn't really think of anyone to bug. She yawned, and butted into Chopper. They fell over with Chopper sitting on top of her. Chopper held his head from the collision. "You okay?" he questioned.

There wasn't any answer. He looked down and seen Luka asleep. "Hey! Luka?!" he squealed.

"Doctor-san," Robin appeared behind him.

Chopper gulped from the sudden appearance. "Robin?" he questioned.

Robin looked at him, "Let's get her back to bed. Captain-san looks like she really needs it."

The reindeer looked down at Luka. Her purple circles were apparent as ever. "Eh?!" he squealed. He never noticed those before. They were stained purple as if they would never leave her face.

"She hasn't been sleeping," Robin answered his unspoken answer. "For the last few nights she awoke screaming."

"She has?! Why didn't I hear of this?"

Robin looked at the Doctor kindly with a small smile. "Let's just let her sleep for now, okay Doctor-san?"

He slowly nodded his head. He gotten up from her stomach and transferred to his Human-point; with that, he carried Luka to one of the close beds. He passed others in the crew, and they were curious. As he placed Luka in the bed, he closed the door and everyone was outside waiting for him.

"What happen?" asked Nami.

"She fell asleep," Robin answered for him.

"Out of nowhere?!" exclaimed Franky. "That's not like Luka-sis!"

Zoro's brows rose. All of the matters he seen came to mind as he opened his mouth. "She hasn't exactly been Luka the last week."

Sanji looked at him and thought about that. As others questioned Zoro about what he means; Sanji looked up. "There were even leftovers on her plate." Now everyone was shocked. Leftovers. Luka. Doesn't go together.

Robin's mind flashed to last night when she saw Luka's fork drop to her plate. Robin could remember Luka's face. It was like a shatter piece. All of her smiles...fake compared to that face she made last night.

"She hasn't been sleeping," said Brook. He witness it first-handed couple nights earlier. He tried putting her to sleep, but it didn't seem to work as much as he would have liked.

"She hasn't?" uttered Nami. She raised her hand. Where has she been?! All of this was happening and...Here was there Captain losing her health...

"What type of crew are we!?" squealed Chopper with tears running down his fur. Zoro looked at Brook. His mind put the pieces together from that night. When he looked over and her place was missing.


	9. Chapter 9

"Does everyone agree?" Nami asked the surrounding crew. They all had their hands together, and each one of them looked at the other. No one in the circle raised their hands or asked any questions. They knew what to do.

For their captain. For their friend. For Luka!

"Alright! Let's go!" she cheered and the others raised their hands in the air. She dashed ahead of them and grabbed her purse. They didn't have time to waste on the ship. Her heels clicked on the staircase as she practically ran down them.

"Over here, girly!" Franky yelled as soft as he could. Nami glared at him before making her way across the ship. She sat on the rails and swung her body around onto the tiny boat. Franky smiled at her, and patted his beauty of a boat.

"Franky! You could have woken Luka!" Nami scold him.

He just shrugged his shoulders. He went back to polishing the small boat. Others came outside, or downstairs, to the deck. They looked around before finally spotting Franky. They did the same as Nami did, or just jumped into the ship. Soon all seven were there.

Zoro rested against the side of the boat, but his eyes were focus on the infirmary where Luka rested. He clicked his fingers on the wood of the ship; his patient was waning. All he wanted was to stay on the ship with Luka; but he was still picked to go onto the island. He could only blame fate for this.

Usopp discussed his shopping list with Robin. He recounted all of the items he was to get, and other items he needed. Robin listened calmly and nodded her head when he looked up. He was mainly talking to himself than conservation with Robin.

"Chopper, will you be okay by yourself?" questioned Sanji as he stood next to his Nami-swan. He looked at the last remaining member standing on the deck.

The small reindeer nodded his head at his concerned crew mates. "I'm good! I'm the one in charge of Luka, so I got everything," he smiled at the crew on the boat. He waved at them as Franky lowered them down to the ocean. It was his duty as the ship's doctor to take care of Luka. Everyone was counting on him; and he wouldn't let them down.

With Luka knocked out, she would need a guard to protect her. CHOPPERMAN TO THE RECUSE!

He thumped his chest and went inside of the infirmary. There on the bed was Luka. She was snoring as loud as can be. "I hope she doesn't get mad at us for leaving her on the ship..." he thought mildly."It's not like we could wake her if we wanted too..." Earlier when they were talking about food, she didn't even stir. If that didn't wake her up, then nothing could.

The small reindeer stood by her bed. He checked her forehead in case of a fever. "Don't worry, Luka! They are going to go get a surprised for you!" He gulped when she moved her head to the side. "Good, you are still asleep." It would be troublesome if she awoke so soon, right after the crew left.

He turned around and busied himself with his usual activities. Behind him, Luka snored and mumbled.

...

The seven spitted up as they reached the island. The island was more of a city than a whole island; it was full of stores and citizens traveling from one place to the other.

"Wow! It's like Sabaody Archipelago!" excited Usopp. He was trailing through one of the main streets of the city. There wasn't an amusement park, but there was still a crowd of people. "Maybe for once this could be peaceful," he sighed. It was nice getting a rest from all of the trouble they always managed to get into. He could enjoy this life; even though he knew it wouldn't last for long.

He went into a shop, which didn't have any of the items on his list; but he did find some bolts he could use. He went to the shop next door; hoping to find the top item on his list.

...

Zoro got lost within seconds of getting off of the ship. He didn't even bother trying to find the others. Out of everyone, he got the least amount to get; probably because he always got lost.

He sat on the stairs and gazed the area. There was a couple shops, but none gotten much attention from him. There was nothing he could gain from any of those, so he looked the other side. Again, nothing caught his attention. He sighed and leaned his head back on the stone steps.

What he would give for some sake right now.

He looked wards the sky, and seen clouds. His mind raced off to Luka. Is she okay? What's wrong with her? Is what they were planning going to help her? Or worsen her? How would Luka react to them knowing? If she's been keeping this secret for awhile, judging from what Chopper said, then why didn't she say anything to them? Her crew.

He sighed. If Luka was keeping her mouth shut for so long, they it must be something she didn't deem important to share. Even if they didn't know, they were her crew, and they will do something about it. That's what a crew does.

He stood up from the stairs and started walking up. His feet traveled on the marble, and he was soon above the first floor. A smile appeared on his face; in front of him was an inn.

Sake.

That's all he cared about. He walked wards the door and opened it inwards. Inside were others with filled cups of sake. One party was laughing and cheering. Others were arguing and bribing.

Yes, this was an inn.

He walked inside and went right up to the bar. His eyes searched across the drinks and beverages before someone appeared in front of him.

"What do you want?" the bartender asked.

"Sake." Zoro answered plainly.

He smirked and turned around. He grabbed a glass cup and filled it with cold sake.


	10. Chapter 10

Luka's breathing became more and more distant from each other; this made Chopper worried. He observed her, again for the 12th time, and other than a light fever, she was well. The breathing. He couldn't get over the fact. He looked down at her neck. A white sash? He seen this before, but lately it's been on her more often. She usually kept it in her hat or her room; barley ever wearing it.

His paw reached out and he grabbed the end. There with dozen tiny holes in the fabric. The stitching was loose but firmly together in one piece. The reindeer's brow rose as he untied the cravat around her neck. Out of all of Luka's items, he never touches, or knew much of, the cravat. It was something that sometimes she worn around her neck, and other times she was without it.

The fabric lingered on her pillow and he could see the wrinkles, the hidden spots. Something about this cloth edged him; he felt guilty just from touching the white sash.

He looked up at the strawhat laid on the metal table. A red ribbon hidden by a frown and grin; beads surrounding. No matter what, he knew the two were connected. He just couldn't place the pieces together. He just stepped down to the floor and gotten back to his work. Before he could fully turn around, he heard a small voice coming from the bed.

"Sabo...Ace's bein' mean to me..."

...

The drink waited on his lips before he gulped the beverage down. His ears wondered the room full of strange people. Numerous conversations were going on at the same time.

"Did you hear about the Bigfoot? It's a legend about A BEAST! His claws..."

"My mum used to come here every single day..." moaned the man next to the green-haired.

"...Seen a pirate ship by the docks..." reported a whimsy male.

"My son is strong as an ox!"

"As if! He couldn't do any more liftin' than my grandma!" He slammed his hands on the table.

"They are here? The Strawhats?"

"That's their ship! Right out on the bay!"

"He uses his teeth to kill his prey. And then he rips them to shreds!" The man stood in his seat and growled like a beast.

"Gahaha! That ain't surprising!" laughed a black plain figure in the back.

"Captain?" questioned another figure next to the man.

"Let's leave. Fate has favored me, and shall we take it!" He lifted his mug and slammed it on the table. The others, who were apart of his group, gotten up from their table and left the inn.

Zoro took another gulp of his sake before resting it on the table. The cup was empty, he ordered another.

...

Nami looked in her wallet, and took out the lowest dollar bill she had to pay the man. He looked at her as if she was playing around.

"Discount~!" she smiled sweetly at him.

"All of this costs 20x more than that."

"Super discount."

"None."

Nami's brows narrowed and she stared at the man behind the counter. He stepped forward, but soon stepped back. "Fine."

She smiled and all of her items were in the bags. She loaned her arms, and walked out of the door before the cashier changes his mind. She smiled at all of the goodies she gotten. Now all she needed was some party decorations.

For Luka!

Her plan was genius. It would certainly surprise their young captain with all of them doing this for her. Nami just hopes they gotten back in time before Luka could wake up. They still needed to set everything up, bake and decorate. All of this in a single day. That means everyone needs to hurry with their shopping.

"Chopper and Monkey D. Luka," reported an oddly dressed man. He glanced over to Nami's view, and shut his lips. The man he reported to just laughed and ignored the silent little man.

Nami squinted her eyes at the two as they traveled down the street. The man with a large figure and scar over his shoulder leaned over and talked to the small one. "Bring the very special cargo...alive. Take that kid with you."

"Yes sir!"

When they were out of the distance, Nami grunted. "That was odd..." she muttered. Her sprain shivered. "Hopefully it doesn't mean anything."

...

"I wonder when they will be back..." Chopper moaned. He was done with everything he could. possibly do. He looked over at the table in which Luka was still sleeping. Even in her condition, he wanted her awake so they could play. At least give him something to do. With everyone out the boat felt so...empty. Even if he was used to this at his home island, but this was the Strawhat Ship and it was noisy all the time. He could wait till everyone came back on the ship.

*Clang*

Chopper's head slowly moved wards the infirmary's door. He lifted himself up out of the seat and turned into his Human-Mode. His huge figure pushed the door opened. Nothing. Just the sea, the island. He sighed and pushed the door opened.

His foot moved inside of the door...but no more. His movements were stopped until he was pulled back by an unknown force. His body fell to the ground; shrinking back into his Brain-Point. The only things heard was groaning and footsteps...numerous of them.


	11. Chapter 11

"Go on ahead without me, I have some errands to run and I will just be slowly down in the first place." Sanji said as everyone in the crew gotten in the tiny ship.

"What do you need?" asked Brook.

Sanji laid his hand on his chin, "Just some last minute supplies." There was still stuff missing he forgotten so he hurried up here so they weren't waiting for him. All he really needed was some seasonings. Maybe he could even find a beautiful angel on this island. His cheeks redden at the thought of women.

"Okay, see you on the ship, Sanji-kun." Nami flopped down on her seat. "We need to hurry back, so be quick."

"Good, the dumbass is gone," taunted the green-haired.

"Of Course~! Nami-swan~! Anything for you!" he cooed. His eyes were heart shaped and his feet were whirls. He turned to Zoro, "You got a problem, Mosshead?!" She rolled her eyes at the cook; he didn't know when to shut his trap. She turned to Franky, who was at the wheel of the boat. He pointed his finger as if to say, one moment.

"My problem is you," remarked Zoro.

The boat started and shook the surrounding water; it stopped the incoming fight between the two of them. Franky pulled the lever back. Splash! Water sprayed Sanji; and the boat zipped forward into the water. Zoro and Brook laughed at the unlucky cook. "That's what he gets." Even Robin gave a slight chuckle at the cook's expenses.

"Usopp, have the decorations?" the orange-haired asked. He nodded his head so Nami went down her checklist and asked everyone else about their supplies. Each one of them nodded at her questions.

The ship gotten closer to the Sunny, and Usopp helped load the ship on the other; it was quite easy with Franky doing most of the work. The crew hopped over the railings and onto the ship. Franky tied knots together, and the small boat disappeared into the Sunny. "There, all done!" he exclaimed before Robin covered his mouth with her hands. He gave her a side glance, and she let the extra hands disappear from his mouth.

"Let's get everything set up," said Brook. "It's going to be joyous~!"

"I call ribbons!" whispered Usopp. He kept a low tone so they wouldn't wake the sleeping captain. It was going to be hard maintaining this level of noise.

"I will help too!" Brook gotten the bags full of red and black ribbons. His afro moved as he bent down to pick the bags up.

Both of them raced into the kitchen with the supplies in their hands. They were loud as can be. Nami sighed at their reaction. Hopefully Luka was deep dreamer or else she would have been awake by now.

Zoro hummed and carried whatever he touched into the kitchen. That was where they were setting the party up. Inside his bag were party hats, horns, and a couple clown noses. He just caustically set them on the counter and watched the others work together to set up the party. With Brook and Usopp putting up the ribbons; Franky was getting the drinks ready; Nami ordered everyone around.

"What's wrong, Zoro-san?" Robin asked as she made her way to the counter. Behind her were her extra hands carrying more bags. They were filled to the brim of kitchen supplies and other oddities for the party.

He shrugged his shoulders at her question and turned around; getting the party hats out of the bag. He just felt something was off. Even if Luka was sleeping, it felt like something was missing on the ship. He gave a sighed and left the kitchen. They were missing a crew mate. He should have greeted them by now seeing how they were making a lot of noise in the kitchen. Chopper. When asked by Nami what he was doing, he replied with, "Getting Chopper."

He came outside of the boat and opened the door to the infirmary. "Guys!" he hollered. He bent down in the doorway. There lying on the ground was Chopper. His body slumped right inside of the infirmary.

"What is it?" asked Franky. He came behind Zoro. "Chopper-bro? Is he asleep?"

"What's he doing sleeping on the ground?" questioned Usopp. He gestured with his hands.

Robin squeezed through the doorway. Her breath caught when she came to the bed. "Captain-san...she's missing."

Zoro lifted his head from the ground. His face broke and he almost tripped over Chopper's body to get to Luka's bed.

"Someone took Luka?!" exclaimed Nami. Her hands were on the side of her head. Her breathing became uneven. "How?!"

Robin stood straightly up and looked at the panicking crew. "They waited till all of us left." There were gasps and hushes from the crew. Only Zoro stayed silent. His face was... emotionless as he stared at the tingled sheets, the drool on the pillow, and the imprint of Luka's body on the bed. He made a fist with his hand and punched the bed.

"One of us should have stayed here with Luka-san," said Brook.

Franky lifted Chopper's body and placed it on a nearby couch. "When Chopper-bro wakes, we can ask him what happened." Robin stood next to Chopper's body and checked his pulse. He was alive; he's just sleeping at the moment.

"But Luka could be far away by then!" argued Usopp. He was mad. His best friend was missing.

"It's our only choice, unless we search every nearby island for them," Robin stated. She said the truth. Chopper was the only lead in this.

"Why would they want Luka?" Brook asked as everyone became silent.

"She does have a bounty on her head," said Nami.

"Everyone of else has a bounty! They didn't even take Chopper!" argued Usopp. "...What if they get Sanji too?!"

*Clang*

"It's them! They came back to get us!" he yelped. He hides under the bed. His butt shook in the air. Brook even joined him under the bed. The two of them shook the bed's headboard; making it a sure sign they were under it. Nami hide behind a chair, and her breathing became light but uneven.

There were footsteps outside of the door. Legs blocked the sunlight under the infirmary's door. The knob clicked and it opened. Franky stepped in front of the door, his weapons ready. Zoro still stayed in the same spot as before. Light spread across the room.

...

He carried her body. Her hand moved from one side to the other. Her mouth moaned and groaned from all the visions she saw inside of her head. "Old Man must really want you, a fine petty thing you are."

The man beside of him chuckled. "Too bad she's flat chest."

"Have you felt her skin? Even if she's a pirate, there's nothing but smooth skin to tell her tale."

"Shut it, idiots," growled the kid. He shoved her body onto his other shoulder. Out of all of the people he needed in his company, he hated there goons. All they did was open a freakin' door; he did all of the work. His hand lingered on her back, and he smiled. Of all of the things he seen in others', this girl had a painful past. He never saw quite a bloodbath before he witness the girl's.

…


	12. Chapter 12

_"SABO!" Luka screamed as her body lowered itself into the darkness. It impacted the wet, rocky sand. The sand molded to fit her figure. Droplets of dark red blood fell down and spattered on her face. Her head landed right on a large flat rock; she was unconscious from the impact._

_The black figure on the cliff moved Sabo's body over, and looked downward. Sabo's hat lifted with the wind and blew out to sea. Luka's body was protected from sight by the ledges. The black figure shrugged its shoulders and ended with a bellow laugh. The formed moved and soon it was gone by sight._

_A black figure spread out to the cliff; moving Sabo's body as it did. The upper part of the shadow moved; bending downwards as if to look where the young girl landed. From where the being was on the cliff it wouldn't have sighted Luka; who hide behind rocks and sand. The thing moved; followed by bellow laughter. It moved away from the cliff, away from Sabo's body. Wind brushed through and blew the blonds' hair off his head and into the shallow waters. The black figure disappeared from sight._

_Fire arouses from the trees and nature life flees their homes. It burnt everything; leaving nothing behind but ash. Luka's body just stayed there by the sand. It was away from the fire; away from the black figure. Hidden within the shade, she stayed. For hours. The sun rose and the fire came to a halt. Her body moved and shifted on the sand._

_Her hand wiped her face as she yawned. Her hand stroked the dried droplets of blood; spreading it on her hands. "Huh..." she uttered before she looked up. Above her was Sabo's body. He was shifted on the cliff, looking directly down at her with his lifeless eyes. Blood smeared on his lips and fire glazed at his clothes. His lip was bitten as if in his late minutes of life, he stuck down on it with such force to open it. His hair matted with dirt and sweat from the long night of running; his head held no hat. The red oozed down pass his lip; under his chin. His eyes held no meaning but to stare pass her._

_She froze. Her muscles tensed at that look on his face. All of his unmoving features. She pushed herself away from his unblinking stare. Sand traveled along her clothing. Her breath became uneven and she took off into the forest. _

_Sabo's dead. _

_It raced across her mind as she ran through the burnt forest. Her feet stumbled across the twigs and fragile leaves. She shook her head from one side to the other. That imagine wouldn't leave her mind. She caused that. Sabo would have been alive if she stayed; but she fell and he died. He was injured; he needed help but she left him behind. All because of her. _

_Should_

_Would_

_Could_

_It was too late to think of a different path. She could have helped him, she should have stayed, and he would have been alive. Nope. _

_She...was a failure. _

_A failure of a sister. _

_She banged her head against a leftover trunk. Pain. She needed pain to distract her from these thoughts. Her head crashed upon the bark; pieces broke away. Her hands tighten their hold on the branches. She stayed like that; stable._

_Thump._

_Thump._

_Thump. _

_Blood started gushing out of her forehead. She was covered in blood. Whether it be Sabo's blood or hers. Her hands were already covered in his blood; all dried up. Her face was smeared with blood beforehand, and now another layer has been added. The blood spread into her hair; draining it in red. Her pants were tattered from leaving all of that behind. _

_Covered in blood. Her brother's. Her skin tingled at the thought. This was Sabo's blood. This was her doing. _

_..._

The girl moaned and hollered in his grasp. "Calm the fuck down!" he slapped her against her face; she never awoke from the impact. Her body obeyed and stopped movements. The boy smirked at the obedience. He spun his fingers. Such grace he had with these special powers of his. Anyone could fall at his tip. Even an ear-to-ear smiling idiot who only thinks of meat.

...

The door opened, and Franky cocked his arm at the unknown person on their ship. Light spread within the room, and the person face was lightened. His eyes flashed across the room. He became very alarm at the person missing in the bed. The dish in his hand dropped to the ground.

Bang

"Sanji-kun!" gasped Nami. She rested her arms on the couch and relaxed. She chuckled at the thoughts she had in mind. She would have been miles away from the crew if it was someone dangerous.

The two shaking butts under the bed popped out. "I knew it was you the whole time!" laughed Usopp. He wiped the sweat off his face and played it off as a joke. Brook nodded his head eagerly at Long nose's statement.

Sanji still stood in the doorway. The dish stayed on the ground. His eyes were directly on Luka's bed...which was empty. "Where's Luka-sama?!"

"..."

Everyone bowed their heads at the question. Nami gestured her shoulder as if to bicker someone else to answer his question. "Sanji-san, she's...missing," Brook answered when everyone else wouldn't.

Steam shot out of Sanji's ears. His face turned red as he stomped to the bed. He glared at the green-haired; who just stood there and ignored anything else going on. His focus was on the white sheets. He didn't even move when the blond stepped inside of the door. He just stood there without a purpose. It grinds Sanji's gears. He grinds his teeth at the green-haired. "Shitty Swordsman, what the fuck are you doing?! You just standing there, not looking for your GOD DAMN GIRLFRIEND WENT MISSING!"

Hands covered his mouth. "Sanji-san, I believe he is in shock as the rest of us."


	13. Chapter 13

The reindeer moved and grumbled in his sleep. His lips moved and sweat poured down his face. _"No...I can save you...come back_..." His hand outreached touching the table leg. He pulled it closer, and the items on top of the table started to shake.

He was surrounded by the others as they heard him. Usopp stood closest to the poor tiny reindeer. His finger raised and he poked the reindeer. "Hey, Chopper. Chopper!" he tried. Chopper moaned and turned his body towards Usopp. He opened his eyes and looked at Usopp, the crew, to Luka's bed. He had the same reaction as Sanji when he noticed Luka's missing. Only thing that was close to Luka's bed was Zoro. Not Luka.

"She's gone! Quick! We need to find her! She could be injured! With her sleep lost, her guard is down! She's in real trouble!" Chopper yelped as he pulled the blankets back from the couch. He lifted his body fast and ran around in a circle. He was panicking. His breath was hot and uneven.

"Chopper!" squealed Nami. Her voice was rough, but still concern for the reindeer.

Finally hands appeared on the ground and took hold of Chopper's body. "Doctor-san, this is not the time to be panicking." Robin slowly released Chopper when he started to calm down. He turned his head left to right as if someone would appear any moment now.

"What happened?" Franky asked. His voice was the loudest since Sanji, Brook, and Usopp asked too; so he was the only one heard with his booming voice.

Chopper grabbed his head as if to stop it from spinning. "Footsteps! I heard footsteps outside and I thought it was you so I went out to greet you but as soon as I opened the door, something hit me," he paused for a moment, "...and I woke up here."

"So you don't know anything? At all?" hammered down Sanji.

He itch his fur, "I heard voices, but that's it. There was at least...four of them, I think. But I couldn't make out the words."

"Who could have done such thing?!" exclaimed Usopp.

"It couldn't be marines; they would have taken Chopper too instead of letting him sleep there!"

"It's...my fault," Chopper looked down at his lap. He was the one who was supposed to be watching her; yet she goes missing under his watch.

"No it's not, Chopper-bro!" argued Franky.

"Even Usopp could have lost her!"

"Hey!" yelped the Long nose.

"It wasn't even a fair fight," said Sanji. "It was a dirty trick! And they even have the nerves of taking Luka-sama at it!"

Nami stomped the ground, "It's not the time to blame others, it wasn't even your fault Chopper, and we should be looking for Luka. Do you know how much trouble she could get us in?! She always causes trouble! I wouldn't even be surprised if they sent her back from the amount of trouble she causes!"

"Where should we look first?"

"Search Parties. All of us need to search for her. Usopp, Sanji, and Chopper will search the island. Robin, Franky, and I will stay on the ship, and search the surrounding waters. I want the rest, Zoro and Brook, to use one of Sunny's ship to search the marine base!"

"As if that Mosshead can do anything," argued the blond. He twisted his arm behind him to show Zoro's unmoving state. "All he's been doing was standing there."

"Zoro has? He may be in shock," suggested Chopper. He stood up from the bed and walked over to where the green-haired was standing. Chopper waved his hand in front of his face, but no movement was made.

"He's broken," stated Sanji. He took a puff of his cigarette.

Franky removed his sunglasses and observed the man. "I have never seen Zoro-bro like this before."

"Neither have I," added Usopp. "It's so unlike him."

Robin smiled at him. Even though it seemed wrong to others, she was smiling because he became this way for Luka. 'Zoro-san cares a lot of Luka-san,' she thought. It was so cute looking at young love; even in this tragic moment. She couldn't help but thinking of how his reaction would be when she was found.

...

_"Ugh, I'm so hungry... Feed me Zoro!" whined the little black-haired girl. Her head swayed to the side and her body dragged itself on the floor of the deck. _

_"It's funny that you have absolutely no navigation skills yet you complain about being hungry," grunted the man on the other side of the ship. _

_She sat up on her side of the ship. "Why? I've always been wandering! You were too! Wandering and capturing pirates for rewards."_

_"I don't remember e saying I live completely off of rewards. I was searching for a man, that's why I left to the sea...But now I can't find my way home."_

_"Yet you call me bad..." mumbled the girl. _

_"I had no choice but to start hunting pirates for a living. Just to get little bit for the living expenses."_

_"...You been lost the whole time?" exclaimed the girl. Her smile lifted on the corners of her lips as she stared at the so-manly green-haired. _

_"SHUT UP! YOU ARE THE ONE WHO'S LOST!" yelled Zoro. His nerves calmed down, "Geez... Never heard of a pirate who didn't know how to navigate! How do you expect to go to the grand line like this? You should hurry and find a crewmate who knows how to navigate!"_

_She lifted her fingers up and started counting, "And someone who knows who to cook, and someone for singing, and someone-"_

_"IDIOT! WHAT ARE YOU GOING OFF ON?!"_

_Luka's stomach grumbled and she flopped herself on the floor again. Zoro did the same. He hasn't eaten anything expect for apples. How is a man supposed to live off apples?! _

_"So hungry..." they moaned. _

_"Oh! A Bird!" sighted Zoro as they looked at the sky from their position. _

_"Looks pretty tasty," Luka licked her lips. She sat up and exclaimed, "Let's eat that bird!"_

_"How are you going to eat it? It's too far to even catch."_

_"Just watch! This is my specialty!" Her hands stretched to the post. "GOMU GOMU ROCKET!" She was up in the air. Her body flew straight to the bird. _

_"Can't believe she thought of that..." Zoro said in disbelieve. "Huh?"_

_The bird locked its jaw on Luka's head. "AHH!" yelped Luka as she tried to remove its beak around her head. "HELP!"_

_"YOU IDIOT! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU TRYING TO DO?!"_

...

"Hm... It would be uneven to just have Brook go by himself... Guess he has to go with the Island Search Group," added Nami.

"My, my, that should be fun!" Brook clapped his hands together.

"Hopefully he will be okay." Usopp poked Zoro. Still no movement.


	14. Chapter 14

The two groups separated and gone their different ways. Nami took lead on the ship, with Franky lifting all of the heavy stuff. Robin used her abilities to formed extra arms in help of the guiding of the ship.

Nami shivered as she held the map. It was a sign of the incoming weather conditions; and it was a bad sign. "Let's start east. The weather seems best there, unlike the west wind."

"AYE!" shouted Franky. He spun the wheel all the way in one direction; and the ship yanked to that direction. It caused Nami to crash on the ground. Only Robin stayed on her feet with her powers. Franky, with his enormous weight, stayed on his feet. He didn't even move a muscle from the force of the ship. "That was SUPERR!" he cooed at his lovely baby. His hand touched the gorgeous wheel; it shined with glee.

Nami narrowed her brows at the annoying robot. Now her bottom was dirty because of his damn tricks. "Can't you stop playing around?! Luka's missing and yet you freakin' have to pull a stunt like that! You owe me for a new skirt!"

"Oh, calm down, Girly!" Franky lifted his large hands up and down in the fashion of quieting the orange-haired. He didn't even have any money to spare; he spent it all in a bar; everyone gotten free drinks that night.

"DON'T CALL ME GIRLY!" she shouted and turned her back on him. Her skirt swayed with the wind.

He rolled his eyes and focus on the task in front of him. He was in charge of most of the work, since Nami was boss and Robin helped whenever it was needed. "Which way now," he took a pause, "Nami-sis?"

She sighed and leaned on the rails. With the map in front of her, she pointed left. They were on the right mark, but only missed by a point. "Just a LITTLE turn, then we should be on track." He chuckled at her use of 'little'.

"We are heading backwards," stated Robin. They were going the same path they came from.

"Can't go west because a storm is brewing, even a baka kidnapper wouldn't be stupid enough in going west with this type of weather."

Robin's lips pulled together. What if the kidnapper was stupid enough? Then their captain would be at the hands of a raging sea in the middle of nowhere; and the whole crew wouldn't be there.

...

Zoro stood in the infirmary. His hand lingered on a strawhat. In his other hand was a white sash: tattered, stained, and aged. Both of these objects were always on Luka. A sacred tradition she kept while growing up. And he had them in his hands; not on Luka's body. He wrapped the sash around his fist; and he stared at the strawhat.

Strawhat Luka. What would she be without her prized possession?

His frown twitched as he remembered her words about this hat._ "It's a promise between me and Shanks!"_ Shanks; not Ace or whoever this Sabo boy is. No matter how hard he thought about it, the two names were never mentioned by her before. She talked so openly about this hat, about that Red-haired Shanks...but never about the two she been mentioning often now. Just who was this Ace and Sabo fellow? Someone blackmailing her?!

He lifted hat sideways. On the rim of the hat was a patch of blood. Dried blood. His finger touched the blood and a little came off onto his tan finger. He rubbed his finger against another; the blood vanished.

He stared at the stain for a moment before moving. His first actually movement since he was overcome with shock.

He left the infirmary.

He needed to leave quickly.

...

"Franky! Turn it right! Quick!" Nami yelped as she held the map closer to her face.

"On it!" he answered back. With a quick flick of his wrist, the wheel turned as did the ship. He wore a smug look as he did a simple task that came with no complaining from the navigator. He turned around and started hailing ropes to match the wind incoming the sails.

"Phew, we were almost off course," she wiped the sweat off her face. Robin grinned at the orange-haired. She didn't even do anything and she was already sweating.

*Splash*

"...What was that?! Nami squealed. She ran to the side of the ship and looked down below in the water. Within the blue of the sea, there was a tiny boat; a single person boat. It floated on top of the water and zoomed away from the larger boat.

Franky lifted his sunglasses. "That was Merry 2."

"Zoro-san gotten impatient, it seems," stated Robin. Unlike the others on the ship, she was smiling at the boat leaving the Sunny. Zoro has finally found his game.

"ZORO! GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!" Nami screamed. Her hands flew in the air as she tried to punch it. "BAKA! ASSHOLE! GET BACK HERE!"

"He took MERRY!" Franky's yell was added to Nami's.

"I just hope Zoro-san doesn't get lost." Robin flipped a page in her book.

"HE'S GOING TO DESTROY MERRY!" Franky jumped over the rails.

"WE CAN'T HAVE TWO PEOPLE LOST! THAT IDIOT!" Nami bite her fingers. "...He's going west..."

*Stoke*

A flash of lighting went across the sky and rain came with it. The crew members on the ship were safe from the weather, but Zoro wasn't. He was going in the direction of the bad weather. "He's not going to make it..." moaned Nami. Her fingers grind against her forehead. "It's too late to follow him in this weather, too."

"What a stoke of bad luck," remarked Robin. "I just hope no one says this couldn't get worst."

Nami imagined the one person who would say something like that. Usopp. If that Long nose dears to utter that phase, she was going to kill him. Struggle him. Nothing could go worst than it was already was. First Luka, now Zoro. What's next, her?! Then there would be no one to lead the crew! Even if Usopp tries to play captain! Her head started to ache with the amount of stress she was facing. 'Oh, I wish Sanji-kun was here. I need something to calm my nerves down...' she thought to herself.

Franky went inside of the ship and checked on the condition of the inside of the ship. With the speed Zoro was going, he was sure there would be some sort of damage on the inside of Sunny. Zoro's just lucky he didn't trash Sunny, or Franky would have given him something he wouldn't forget.

'Everyone seems to be bickering...I wonder how the Island Search Party is going...' thought Robin. She flipped to the next page of her book


	15. Chapter 15

_She stood in front of two trunks. Each one had blood spattered all over it; painted in a dark red. Luka just stood there looking at each one. Beyond them were two bodies; laid side-by-side with each other. Two bodies. Even while facing the tragic scene, Luka just couldn't shed a tear anymore; none would come out if she tried._

_She just turned to Ace's body. It heaved a lot more damaged than the blonds'. Even he wasn't safe from the terror that descended from wherever it came. His body was mingled as if it went through a meat-grinder. She shivered at the thought. The only thing that stayed in one piece was a necklace. It was Ace's necklace he laced around his hat; his hat was teared in his fingers. Only the beads and faces stayed. She slowly walked over there and picked up his necklace; wrapping it around her own hat. He died with a painful smile on his face even though he always frowns in the daytime._

_A frown. A smile._

_The two faces were side by side on the necklace. The two faces he would always wear. She kept it close to her. Keeping it on her hat._

_Now she turned to Sabo. His face was the same as before. It sent chills down her body at how much emotion was still there in his lifeless face. "What happened to your hat...?" she thought out loud before moving wards him. His body was bloody from the piercing hole in his chest, but Luka sat her eyes out for that pure thing around his neck. His cravat. He used to use this to hide his face and play with Luka. Even though they lived in a dirty place, this was always clean and white...pure. She wrapped it around her neck and tried to copy the way he wore it but it turned out wrong._

_These were the two items she always wore next to the strawhat. A two-face necklace and a white sash. The things her brothers valued the most; she wore to carry on their burdens. Even if she was the only one who made it out of the three, she wore them with pride._

_They were her treasure._

_Rain started pouring down, and Luka shelter herself under a tree. The bodies disappear exactly like they appeared out of nowhere. She was left by herself. Alone. In the rain. Even her eyes wanted to join in; she cried throughout the night._

...

"Kid, she's waking up!" shout-whispered one of the men.

"Shut it, asswipe. I got this." The kid rose from his position in the empty room, and moved wards her unguarded body. "Just one more sleep spell and she's out like a light." He moved his hands above her body, and dust sparkled from them onto her body. Her eyes twitched as if to open, but they remained closed. He snorted at the memories she was thinking about now. She had so many juicy memories with dark secrets that it was an easy task for him.

"Don't get on his bad side," whispered a fat goon. The other shivered with thoughts of the torture that the kid would give him. Even if the boy was young, he was something different...something powerful.

"Captain should be here soon," muttered the goon next to Luka's body. He poked her arm, but she didn't even react.

"Taking so long just to get in the boat," complained the heavy-set gray-beard. He cushioned himself onto the ground, and waited for the door to open any moment now. What were they waiting for?!

...

"AH! HELP!" Usopp yelled as he ran through the village. Citizens ran after him and the others.

"Oh my!" screamed Brook. His hands waved in the air as he ran ahead from the group. His boney feet raced across the pavement.

"THIS COULDN'T GET ANY WORSE!" Usopp yelled as tears slipped from his eyes. He had to get on the boat fast before these crazy people get him.

"MONSTERS!" shouted a citizen.

"I'M JUST ALL BONES!" Brook shouted back. They roared louder than before.

"HE'S TALKS!"

"YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE!" Sanji shouted at the skeleton. He elbowed the boney fellow as he ran past him.

"THEY ALL ARE DEMONS!"

"BEGONE!"

"LEAVE!"

"How could we find Luka-sama like this?!" Sanji moped. All because Brook starting asking for panties...and then Chopper had to transform. Everything was going downhill for them.

Then rain started pouring and all of the fire went out. At least that was a positive out of all the things that happened.

...

The door finally opened, and the goons walked inside of the boat. The kid pushed Luka's body into the awaiting hands of one of the goons. "Cap'n wants to see ya."

"Fine," he muttered and took off in the opposite direction of the party. He headed to the Captain's Quarters that the big-bellied fellow stayed for most of his time. He was sitting in his famous black chair and music was playing as the kid opened the door. "Yeah?" he asked with a disinterest.

"You finally did it!" he roared. His fist smacked on the table and the music skipped a beat. "Now everything's all set, isn't that boy?"

"Yeah, yeah..."

The captain sat his drink down on the table and looked the younger in the eyes. "Now why don't you join our crew? You got the skills for it."

"Rather not. Just head me home and that's all. Never see each other again."

"Why not? Haven't you heard? The life of a captain is great~! Here on the opened seas with nothing but sake and meat at your sides. What couldn't you ask for?!"

"A real job."

His smile disappeared and he spoke in a calm voice, "I like you, boy. You gets the job done, fast, and I want you and those powers. Join my crew, boy."

"Don't wanna. I got better things to do than watch old people grow old."

Captain's drink spilled on his table as he glared the boy in his eyes. "Where else are you supposed to use this power? Huh, boy? Everyone afraid of you, didn't you say so yourself in that village? Just stay with us, we will treat ya like family. You have as many subjects for your power as you want. Not like on an average island."

This time the kid didn't give one of his rude remarks to the aged pirate. Instead he stared at the floor and thought about what he said.

"Come back later when you made your mind. I think the boys are hostin' a party, so go have fun, why don't ch?"


End file.
